HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/11/2006 Adjourned Meeting / Study Session 97
ADJOURNED MEETING /STUDY SESSION
OF THE YAKIMA CITY COUNCIL
JULY 11, 2006 - 8:30 A.M. - 10:00 A.M.
COUNCIL CHAMBERS - YAKIMA CITY HALL
1. RoII CaII
Mayor Edler called the meeting to order at 8:35 a.m. He took the opportunity to remind
Yakima citizens of National Night Out and a kick off event to be held July 24` at
Franklin Park.
Present: •
Council: Mayor Dave Edler, presiding, Council Members Ron Bonlender,
Micah Cawley, Norm Johnson, Bill Lover, Neil McClure, and Susan
Whitman
Staff: City Manager Zais, and City Clerk in Training Moore
2. Study Session regarding the Yakima Safe Community Action Plan
A. See attached supplemental information
B. Please bring previously distributed notebook
City Manager Zais explained that additional information had been supplied in response
to questions and suggestions from Council members. One new addition is the potential
annexation revenue that we see from planned future annexations expected to raise
another $260,000 beginning 2008. He referred to proposals supplied by Council
Members Whitman, Bonlender and Lover. Also supplied in response to Council
questions is what the City expects as outcomes, * accountability measures, and results.
Council Member McClure also has a proposal to present today. Mr. Zais advised that
we have been looking carefully at reductions in the budget and have outlined
approximately $800,000 worth affecting Streets, Parks, and Information Systems.
Although we would not like to see these happen, they are options and merit careful
discussion.
Council Member Lover's proposal was reviewed first. He explained the details and said
he opted for the Park District revenue and included the full amount of the library
revenue. He proposed using CDBG money to fund a code enforcement officer who
would be required if we go to emphasis patrols. He is suggesting two task forces to
review the City's budget with one being totally independent with no staff or Council
members. He feels the City has had programs in effect for years that may be able to be
eliminated and that there are savings available if we study our processes and
procedures. He supplied six steps to go through to find funding. Council Member
Bonlender referred to the regional parks district revenue noting that it is basically a real
estate tax and there are not as many payers as the utility tax; therefore, it would cost
more per person. Mayor Edler commented that he feels it is premature to talk about a
regional park district; we have asked for a study to be done. He questioned the logic of
having independent task forces when there has already been the Budget Strategy
Team. With the regional approach Council Member Lover was talking about, it would be
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difficult to see anything that substantial put together in a couple years. Council Member
Lover said it is not unreasonable to expect the City to reduce spending by larger
amounts than were suggested to the Library to cut. The tasks forces will identify those
areas. This first task force is nothing more than a performance audit that has been
mandated. Discussion continued on potential budget management, and ongoing reviews
and that it is unlikely that budget cuts could be enough to support the proposal. Council
Member McClure pointed out that the revenue shown from the Parks District is far into
the future and he believes it brings in Tess money than the parks currently use. Mr. Lover
emphasized that he is very interested in an independent task force because it is difficult
for internal management to identify savings. Mayor Edler disagreed. He responded that
when he first became a councilman it was that type of thinking that spurred the initiation
of the BST to independently look at the budget. Looking at how to run the City close -to-
the -bone has already been done. Council Member Lover countered that he believes the
BST worked hard, but the only thing that has been initiated from their efforts so far are
revenue gains; no savings have been implemented. He doesn't think savings got
looked at as closely as Council may think. Mayor Edler said he is against personnel
cuts because it means we're losing services, and that means the citizens suffer. The
complaints we hear from the community is that our services lack. Council Member
Lover didn't agree and said he was not referring to cuts but to spending reductions. The
money is still there but used on other priorities. Council Member McClure said the library
money should be used to replenish the reserves. A discussion on the use of reserves
ensued.
Council Members Bonlender and Whitman distributed a new proposal. Council Member
Bonlender explained they are proposing a 1.5% tax increase which would fund 67% of
the original goal. He suggested a proportional reduction because it is important we
have the proper number of police officers and support to make a difference in crime. He
went through the detailed numbers for the proposal: 1.5% utility tax increase, the lid lift,
50% library property tax gain. New fines and forfeitures, the other 50% of the library
funds and any service cuts should go into the reserves but he cautioned that any cuts in
City services could result in more crime creating a downward spiral. He also presented
a varied version where the lid lift would be modified rather than eliminated and the tax
increase would be 2 %. Council Member Whitman reviewed more details of their
proposal and suggested the major discussion item is the lid lift.
Council discussed in great detail the options of fewer police officers, various tax
increase percentages, lid lifts and what would be acceptable to the voting public. Also
discussed was keeping the original amount of officers and only implementing 50 % -75%
of the support staff.
Council Member McClure passed out his proposal. He also reduced the number of
officers up front. He endorsed delaying the decision of hiring a deputy police chief and
suggested a number of positions could be policy issues four years from now rather than
part of this proposal (PAL and community relations officers for example). He suggested
funding by a 1.5% utility tax, a full lift of the lid graduated over a three -year period, the
fines and forfeitures, some City service cuts, and 25% of the library tax gain with the
rest going to the reserves. He did not want to spend potential annexation revenues until
they come in. Mayor Edler did not agree with the idea of delaying additions to the PAL
program. Chief Granato described the PAL program and his original plan with the
scheduled implementation of officers and support staff. Council Member Lover
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commented on the importance of agreeing on a solid package with expectations and
accountability. Funding should be worked out separately.
Mayor Edler noted that 90 minutes were spent looking through new alternatives and
suggested setting a date for another session to debate the funding ideas. He
recommended all Council members come prepared to champion a program and be
ready to begin the process of wrestling with numbers. City Manager Zais pointed out
that in the original proposal there was a detailed memo from the Chief identifying what
he would do with the patrols and that information has been supplemented each week.
3. Audience comments (9:45 a.m. — 10:00 a.m.) •
None
4. Adjournment
McCLURE MOVED AND BONLENDER SECONDED TO ADJOURN TO 8:30 A.M. ON
FRIDAY, JULY 14 FOR A CONTINUED DISCUSSION ON THE SAVE COMMUNITY
ACTION PLAN. The motion carried by unanimous voice vote. /
READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY
O LMEMBER DATE
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COUNCIL M 1=R DATE
ATTEST:
C ITY ERK �o ' VID EDLER, MA 'OR
Minutes prepared by Linda Watkins. An audio and video tape of this meeting are available in the City Clerk's Office
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